The International Day of Older Persons, organised by the United Nations, will take place, as every year, on 1 October. In conjunction with this event, Eurostat is publishing statistics on the population aged over 65, which highlight some of their demographic, economic and social particularities compared to the total population.

Three persons in ten will be aged 65 and over in 2050

The share of persons aged 65 and over was 17% of the total population in the EU25 in 2005, compared to 15% in 1995. The Member States with the highest proportions in 2005 were Germany and Italy (both 19%) and Greece (18%), while the lowest were Ireland (11%), Cyprus and Slovakia (both 12%).

Projections2 for 2050 indicate that, in the EU25, the number of persons aged 65 and over might rise from 75 million in 2005 to nearly 135 million in 2050 (1995: 66 million). Their share in the total population is projected to increase to around 30% at the EU25 level, with the highest shares in Spain (36%), Italy (35%), Germany, Greece and Portugal (all 32%) and the lowest in Luxembourg (22%), the Netherlands (23%), Denmark and Sweden (both 24%).

10 years of healthy life after 65 for both men and women

Men were expected to live 10.1 years of healthy life without disabilities after the age of 65 in the EU15 in 2003; for women it was 10.7 years. In the Member States for which data are available, men in Cyprus (12.6 years) were expected to have most years of healthy life after 65 in 2003, followed by Italy (11.9 years), Belgium (11.7 years) and Spain (11.3 years). For women, Italy (14.4 years), followed by Belgium (12.6 years), Spain (12.5 years) and Austria (12.2 years) recorded most years of healthy life after 65.

The least years of healthy life after 65 for men were expected in Hungary (6.1 years), Finland (6.5 years), France and the United Kingdom (both 8.2 years) and for women in Finland (7.1 years), Hungary (7.2 years) and Portugal (7.7 years).

8% of 65-69 year olds in employment in the EU25 in 2005

Compared to an employment rate for persons aged 15 to 64 of 63.8% in the EU25 in 2005, the employment rate for persons aged 60 to 643 was 26.7% and for 65-69 year olds it was 8.2%. For the age group 60-64, the highest employment rates were recorded in Sweden (56.8%), Estonia (43.9%), Ireland (42.9%), the United Kingdom (42.0%) and Portugal (41.3%). For the age group 65-69, the highest employment rates were found in Portugal (28.4%), Cyprus (19.8%) and Latvia (18.7%).

The lowest employment rates for persons aged 60-64 were observed in Luxembourg (12.6%), Slovakia (12.7%) and France (13.0%). For the age group 65-69, the lowest rates were found in Slovakia (2.4%), Belgium (2.5%) and France (3.0%).

AND MORE...including TABLES...______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

DESCRIPTIONAGW - The Aging Workforce Summit is a two-day global conference designed to educate and motivate senior corporate executives about the bottom-line impact of the financial and healthcare shortfalls exacerbated by an aging workforce.

CONTENTAGW features general sessions providing information and solutions for companies addressing age-driven financial issues such as retirement savings shortfalls, the rising cost of healthcare, lost intellectual capital, etc., and their combined impact on the company. Additionally AGW will include how-to sessions, case studies and workshops.

ATTENDANCECompanies who want and need to learn about the impact and realities of an aging workforce. Executives who need to understand the economic and enterprise-wide impact of an aging workforce and the loss of intellectual capital in a knowledge-based global economy.

Hartford, CT, August 23, 2006 ­ AGW ­ The Aging Workforce Summit ­ the only conference on solutions for dealing with the bottom-line financial and personnel pressures of our nations aging workforce ­ will be October 26-27, 2006 at the Mid-America Club Chicago.

Presented by Prudential Financial, AGW provides financial, retirement benefits and human resources decision-makers with presentations from leading experts in the issues of retirement funding, healthcare, work-life solutions, succession planning and the retention of institutional intelligence.

This conference focuses on the business-critical and rapidly escalating issue of an aging workforce, which has significant global implications, and we are pleased to be a presenting sponsor, said Deanna Garen, SVP of Strategic Planning, Prudential Retirement at Prudential Financial, Inc., and a member of the AGW Conference Leadership Committee. Today's business leaders must plan now to solve the problems created by generational workforce-shifts before their companies lose the ability to serve their customers, effectively grow their businesses, and generate acceptable ROI despite dramatically higher retirement, healthcare, and labor costs.

Americas aging workforce, retirement issues, pensions and healthcare have been hot topics in trade journals and mainstream media, said Nan McCann, President of PME Enterprises and producer of AGW. While everyone is talking about the need to address these issues, the topic has been relegated to a sidebar at most HR and financial industry conferences. AGW is the only national conference dedicated to how to address these issues.

AGW will provide insight and solutions to help senior HR, finance and benefits professionals understand and solve their organizations age-driven challenges such as retirement savings shortfalls, pension funding, healthcare costs, and lost intellectual capital ­ and their combined impact on their companys bottom line.

HR professionals listed rising healthcare costs and increasing numbers of retiring baby boomers among the top 10 trends that will have the biggest impact on the American workplace in the next decade (1). And surveys show that even though 70-80% of executives at big companies are concerned about the coming brain drain, fewer than 20% have begun to do anything about it (2).

______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Research Question:Wage inequality is greater in the United States than in eight other western nations; to what extent does the greater variation in adult literacy among Americans explain these differences in wage inequality?

Conclusions:The wider distribution of cognitive test scores among adults in the U.S. offers only a partial explanation for this country's higher wage inequality. Significantly more important are the larger wage gaps in the U.S. between people with higher levels and people with lower levels of measured cognitive skill and between those with more years and those with fewer years of schooling; higher wage variation associated with "unexplained/unobserved" factors is another source of wage inequality. The higher returns to skill and education in the U.S. probably reflect lower levels of coverage by collective bargaining contracts and a larger relative supply of low-skilled workers.

Policy implications:Labor market institutions, such as widespread union membership and coverage by collectively bargained contracts (as is the case in many European countries), may boost wages at the bottom and reduce overall wage inequality but also price some younger and/or less skilled workers out of the labor market. In the U.S., expanding the supply of higher skilled workers may reduce wages for this group and thereby lessen wage inequality; that is, policies designed to narrow the gaps in cognitive skill and years of education may begin narrowing the disparity in wages.

[ILR Impact Briefs are written and/or edited by Maralyn Edid]______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

The ILOs International Institute for Labour Studies has created a research prize to annually reward outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge on the ILOs central goal of decent work for all, and calls for the nomination of candidates.

The prizeThe prize will be awarded during the next International Labour Conference (to be held in June 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland) where the winner will be invited to give a lecture to a global audience of government, employer and worker representatives. There will be a financial award of USD 10,000. The winner will be made Honorary Fellow of the International Institute for Labour Studies (www.ilo.org/inst) for 2007-08.

Criteria for award The prize winner will be selected by a five member jury consisting of eminent personalities with an international reputation and proven expertise in labour and social policy issues. This being a research prize, the jury will examine publications of the candidates. The prize can be awarded for: (1) Major specific contributions to the understanding of socio-economic relationships and policy instruments for the advancement of decent work as defined by the ILO (see http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/download/ecosoc/decentwork.pdf ). The jury will look for new and original ideas; or (2) A lifetime contribution to knowledge on the central concerns of the ILO and its constituents (i.e. Governments, Workers and Employers) which reflects and advances understanding of the different dimensions of decent work (creating jobs; guaranteeing rights at work; extending social protection; promoting dialogue and conflict resolution; with gender equality as a cross-cutting objective). In either case, both the excellence of the work and its practical relevance for policy purposes will be taken into account.

Who can nominate?Individuals and institutions (e.g. members of the ILOs tripartite constituency) can nominate candidates. Neither the International Labour Office nor current ILO staff members can nominate candidates.

Who qualifies as candidate?Only individuals qualify as candidates; the prize cannot go to an institution. ILO staff members and former ILO staff members are not eligible. Each nominee must have the support of at least one organization from the ILOs tripartite constituency (i.e. a government, a workers or an employers organization) and one leading academic (in the area of labour and social policy), coming from different regions of the world.

The dossier to be submittedo The candidates full contact details. o The candidates CV (in full and a brief summary). o A statement by the candidate that s/he agrees to be nominated. o The publication(s) to be screened by the jury, along with an executive summary or abstract of the publication(s). Where these publications are in languages other than in English, French or Spanish (the ILOs working languages), a translation into one of these languages will be required. o Two letters of support (one from a member of the ILOs tripartite constituency and the other from a leading academic in the area of labour and social policy) setting out the reasons why this candidature should be retained.

Timingo Deadline for candidatures: A complete file has to arrive at the ILOs International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS) by 31 December 2006. o Decision: The jury will take its decision by mid March 2007, and the IILS will immediately notify the winner in writing. o Award of prize: At the 2007 International Labour Conference (29 May  14 June 2007).

**************************************** Stuart Basefsky Director, IWS News Bureau Institute for Workplace Studies Cornell/ILR School 16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (607) 255-2703 Fax: (607) 255-9641 E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu ****************************************______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Today, at the Union of Industrial and Employers Confederations of Europe (UNICE) headquarters, the World Bank is presenting its indicators on regulations that are supposedly hindering business activity. Doing business, the World Banks flagship publication, is in particular targeting workers rights that constitute the basic pillars of the European social dimension.

Countries that require advance notice for dismissal, establish a working week of less than 66 hours or set minimum wages above a certain very low level are considered investment-unfriendly, according to the World Banks logic. By the same absurd reasoning, a tiny country like the Marshall Islands is declared best performer because of having no labour code at all.

The ETUC rejects such a simplistic approach and insists that workers rights should instead be seen by business as beneficial constraints. Setting standards for wages, working hours, work contracts and dismissal notification prevents employers from taking the easy way out and simply exploiting their workforce to address problems of competitiveness. It encourages business strategies to focus on the agenda of innovation, productivity, and boosting workers skills.

Says John Monks, ETUC General Secretary: The World Bank wants us to compete with China on the basis of low labour costs and bad working conditions. It is an illusion to think that Europe could build a modern labour market by returning to the sweatshop-style work practices of the 19th century.

Experiences in several EU Member States point to the fact that there is no automatic trade-off between competitiveness and the European social dimension:

* The UK in 1999 and Ireland in 2000 introduced a statutory minimum wage. The UK minimum wage (7.36 an hour) is now very close to the level of the French minimum wage (8.03). Despite claims to the contrary, both the UK and Ireland have continued to enjoy a growing economy and a booming jobs market. In the UK in particular, one fifth of business responded to the minimum wage by improving work organisation and making it more productive. * Workers in Sweden and Denmark enjoy advance notification periods that are amongst the longest in Europe. This, in turn, encourages firms to enter into collective agreements aimed at increasing workers skills and abilities to switch between jobs (see attachment describing Swedish career transition agreement and Danish agreements on flexicurity). It is no coincidence that both countries are seen as being open to change and systematically located among the top ten most competitive nations in the world. * Already, in the early nineties, the Netherlands did what the World Bank is condemning by giving part-time and other atypical workers equivalent rights and access to social protection (by, for example, extending statutory minimum wages to part-time workers). The Netherlands now enjoys an unemployment rate lower than the US, while inequalities and social exclusion have been kept in check.

There are also several cases in Europe vividly illustrating the disastrous results of the deregulatory approach the World Banks report is advocating:

* Germany has undergone one reform after another, thereby substantially weakening workers rights. The result? Corporate profits, but workers insecurity is at a historical high. Meanwhile, domestic demand remains weak and the economy is dragging itself from one slump in growth to the next. * Labour market liberalisation in Italy and the high abuse of fixed-term work contracts in Spain have created a situation in which one third of workers are on atypical contracts. The result? A collapse in productivity growth leading to a continuing worsening of competitive positions.

______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Abstract In the absence of scientific clarity about the potential health effects of occupational exposure to nanoparticles, a need exists for guidance in decision-making about hazards, risks, and controls. An identification of the ethical issues involved may be useful to decision-makers, particularly employers, workers, investors, and health authorities. Since the goal of occupational safety and health is the prevention of disease in workers, the situations that have ethical implications that most affect workers have been identified. These situations include the (1) identification and communication of hazards and risks by scientists, authorities, and employers, (2) workers' acceptance of risk, (3) selection and implementation of controls, (4) establishment of medical screening programs, and (5) investment in toxicologic and control research. The ethical issues involve the unbiased determination of hazards and risks, nonmaleficence (doing no harm), autonomy, justice privacy, and promoting respect for persons. As the ethical issues are identified and explored, options for decision-makers can be developed. Additionally, societal deliberations about workplace risks of nanotechnologies may be enhanced by special emphasis on small businesses and adoption of a global perspective.

[Thanks to Shirl Kennedy at Docuticker.com for the tip]______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Manufacturing labor productivity increased in 14 of the 15 economies covered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2005. Denmark, which experienced no change in productivity, was the lone exception.

The U.S. increase of 5.1 percent continued a more than decade-long trend of relatively high productivity growth in manufacturing. Since 1995, only the Republic of Korea and Sweden had greater productivity growth.

The data presented here differ from those appearing in the BLS Productivity and Costs news releases. (See technical notes.) Average annual growth rates for selected measures over various time periods are in tables A and B.

Manufacturing unit labor costs, expressed in national currency units, declined in nine of the economies and increased in six. The change for the United States was near the middle of the range, at - 0.4 percent.

Expressed in U.S. dollars, unit labor costs declined in six of the countries and increased in nine. This shift from a decline in unit labor costs in national currency to an increase in unit labor costs expressed in U.S. dollars can be accounted for by the relative appreciation of the currencies of the Republic of Korea, Canada, and Taiwan. (See chart 2 and table A.)

AND MUCH MORE...including CHARTS and TABLES....______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

ABSTRACT This annual report to Congress provides factual information on U.S. trade policy and its administration for calendar year 2005. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the U.S. economy in 2005 and describes major trends in U.S. trade during the year. Chapter 2 summarizes activities relating to the administration of U.S. trade laws and regulations, including import relief laws, laws against unfair trade practices, and other import administration laws and programs. Chapter 3 focuses on the activities of the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Chapter 4 provides an overview of activities with respect to U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs) and FTA negotiations during 2005. Chapter 5 addresses selected trade-related activities between the United States and selected major trading partnersthe European Union, Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India, and Russia.

______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Confronted with the profound changes engendered by globalisation - a source of both great risk and opportunities - we believe that it is time to foster the emergence of new models for reflection and action, to invent new guidelines, to explore new ways for promoting a proactive approach combining economic and social dimensions in a more balanced way.

The City of Lyon, the Greater Lyon Urban Community and the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council are organising the International Economic and Social Forum which will take place in Lyon from October 25th to 28th, 2006.

The Forum seeks to create a vibrant arena for exchange and debate, in order to capitalise on innovations in the economic and social realms. Organised in partnership with other territories from various regions of the globe, the Forum will aim at reflecting together on building a world that combines prosperity and solidarity. The Forum will be structured around two main guiding principles: - to bring together all the actors concerned by globalisation issues: stakeholders of the business world, trade unions, representatives of civil society, research institutes and local authorities, as well as international institutions, - to organise the debates around the actors exchanges on experiences and analysis of practices, - to highlight the role of cities and territories as key actors in the debate on globalisation and to foster cooperation between them

The debates will be organised around 3 major themes:·What kind of global chain of trade for fair development?·Corporate responsibility: governance and financing of fair development·Making local areas active partners in globalisation

For more information, you will find hereunder links which will allow you to download the Forums documents:

Forum pour une Mondialisation ResponsableFondation Scientifique de Lyon et du Sud-Est 4, rue du Président Carnot 69002 Lyon Tél : +33 (0)4 78 92 70 03 Fax : +33 (0)4 78 92 70 29 Mobile : +33 (0)6 81 43 51 46 e-mail : jacques.terrenoire@fslse.org______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

CONTENTS Commission Finding Executive Summary List of Recommendations Introduction Monitoring Compliance With Human Rights Political Prisoner Database Development of the Rule of Law and Institutions of Democratic Governance Tibet North Korean Refugees in China Developments in Hong Kong Appendix: Commission Activities in 2005 and 2006 Endnotes

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China has released its 2006 Annual Report to the President and the Congress on human right conditions and the development of the rule of law in China. The Annual Report is now available on the Commission's Web site - www.cecc.gov.

The Commission is deeply concerned that some Chinese government policies designed to address growing social unrest and bolster Communist Party authority are resulting in a period of declining human rights for China's citizens. The Commission identified limited improvements in the Chinese government's human rights practices in 2004, but backward-stepping government decisions in 2005 and 2006 are leading the Commission to reevaluate the Chinese leadership's commitment to additional human rights improvements in the near term. The Commission's 23 Legislative and Executive Branch members approved the report by a vote of 22-1.

"This is a comprehensive and carefully documented report that provides an honest and balanced look at human rights and rule of law in China," said Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), the Commission's Chairman. "It is important to acknowledge that the Chinese government has made progress in building a political system based on rule of law and respect for human rights. Nevertheless, the restrictions on fundamental human rights such as freedom of religion and freedom of the press that the Commission highlighted in its 2005 Annual Report remain in place, and in some cases, the government has strengthened their enforcement," Hagel said.

"The Commission continues to deepen its understanding of the current state of human rights and the rule of law in China, and this report is a reflection of those efforts," said CECC Co-Chairman Representative James A. Leach (R-IA). "This report comprehensively identifies those areas where more remains to be done to give the Chinese people the rights that the Chinese Constitution and laws guarantee to them," Leach said.

The report's 14 recommendations include calls for:

The UN Human Rights Council to fight human rights abuses and to speak on behalf of Chinese prisoners of conscience who have had their voices silenced; The Chinese government to to cease its harassment, surveillance, imprisonment, and abuse of defense lawyers and rights defenders; Funding to support the full range of activities envisioned in new Sino-U.S. bilateral and international efforts to protect the environment like the Joint Committee on Environmental Cooperation and the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate; Funding to the International Labor Organization's cooperative programs with China on forced labor and human trafficking; Expansion of cooperative programs between the U.S. and Chinese governments to improve labor conditions for Chinese workers; Funding for U.S. programs to develop technologies that would help Chinese citizens access Internet-based information currently unavailable to them; The Chinese government to be transparent as it progresses in drafting and adopting its new regulations on refugees, and to work closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure that this legislation will protect North Korean refugees in full accordance with international law. Congress created the Congressional-Executive Commission on China in 2000 to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China. The Commission is made up of nine members of the Senate, nine members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. ______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Research question:Are chief executive officers more likely to lose their jobs in the first year or two following the announcement of mass layoffs?

Conclusion:The relationship between employee layoffs and CEO turnover has varied over the 1970-2000 time period examined in this study and depends, in part, on the particulars of the company and its chief executive. There is limited evidence that announced layoffs are positively associated with the probability that a CEO will resign. The chances of this happening are significantly greater when the price of a company�s stock drops in response to the planned reduction in force; with layoffs increasingly perceived as good news for companies, however, in recent years stock prices have reacted less negatively to these events.

Workplace implications:The labor market for chief executives is not immune to the aftershocks of mass layoffs. Decisions about workforce reductions may be motivated by a CEO�s desire to retain his or her own job, but other constituencies� interpretation of the event matters more. Corporate boards and investors may regard layoffs either as a sign of management failure or as a furthering of strategic goals. Perceptions and subsequent actions by these stakeholders will determine whether the top executive is punished or rewarded.

[ILR Impact Briefs are written and/or edited by Maralyn Edid]______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

[excerpt] In its fifth year, the U.S. Department of Labor's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor provides new and updated information on the incidence and nature of child labor, relevant laws and enforcement, and programs and policies in place to address exploitative child labor. The report highlights progress that has been made in the past year to combat the worst forms of child labor in 137 countries and territories receiving benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA)/Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Elimination Act (ATPDE), and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA). By highlighting progress and areas where challenges remain, we hope that this report will encourage trading partners of the United States to increase their efforts to address exploitative child labor and promote educational opportunities for all children.

NOTE:Beginning November 2006, printed copies of the report will be available from the International Child Labor Program, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-5307, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-4843; Fax (202) 693-4830; E-mail: GlobalKids@dol.gov.

______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

The ETF has launched a new publication titled "Human Resources Development in the European Neighbourhood Region ­ Country by Country". It brings together the latest information that the ETF has compiled on the situation of vocational education and training in the countries that will be covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) starting from 2007.

The paper aims to promote the contribution that investment in human resources development (HRD) can make in achieving the goals of the ENP. It draws on the expertise the European Training Foundation has built up as an active promoter of human resources development in neighbouring countries over the period 1995-2005 and outlines some of the lessons learned from the investment made by the EU and other donors in the ENP countries over the last decade. It is also intended to inform the forthcoming debate on the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI) in the EU institutions and give recommendations as to how the measures proposed in the draft instrument can be taken forward in order to ensure effective and sustainable reform and what contribution a specialised agency, such as the ETF, could make to this process.

The publication presents an overview of the social and economic context of each of the ENPI countries, an analysis of the education system and a short review of the main initiatives in education and training carried out by international donors in the country. Each country chapter also puts forward suggestions for future donor investments in the HRD sector.

Contents

INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................7 ALGERIA.................................................................................................................15 ARMENIA.................................................................................................................19 AZERBAIJAN..........................................................................................................23 EGYPT.....................................................................................................................27 GEORGIA.................................................................................................................31 ISRAEL....................................................................................................................35 JORDAN..................................................................................................................37 LEBANON................................................................................................................41 MOLDOVA...............................................................................................................47 MOROCCO..............................................................................................................53 SYRIA......................................................................................................................57 TUNISIA...................................................................................................................61 UKRAINE.................................................................................................................65 WEST BANK AND GAZA STRIP............................................................................69 ______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.